2018 McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade

The Walter M. Williams High School Band Programs are on the move!  Our Marching Bulldog Band has been invitied to be a featured band in the 2018 McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago, Illinois!  This parade is a nationally televised showcase of extended performances by all participants.  Our students will actually perform a show along the Downtown Chicago parade route!  A trip of this scope will require a tremendous outlay of funds.  Travel costs per person will be $750.00.  The fee includes transportation from our Burlington, NC, home, accomodations and meals for the three day trip, as well as specially organized tours. Not only will our students be able to march in this fabulous parade, but they will also experience some of the highlights of Chicago:  a Thanksgiving Dinner Cruise, museums, shows, shopping and more!   This trip will be a first for many of our students.   While we strive to provide the highest quality musical education for our students, the fact remains that Arts & Music Education is sorely underfunded.  Our students make do with aging instruments, infrastructure, and uniforms.   Our ultimate goal is to raise this music program up to the highest level which, in turn, will generate interest, funding, and above all participation in the years to come.  Please give what you can so that the children in this program can all participate!  Our highschool, Walter M. Williams Senior High, is a Title I school.  That means many of the children here are low income students.  All of our marchers give their all to band and we hope that we can, through this project, give back to them so that their financial burden is alleviated.  Every day they come to classes and rehersals, make a joyful noise, learn, grow, and build their band family.  They are nurtured and loved. Please help us help THEM by donating to this once in a lifetime trip.  The Marching Bulldog Band Students will be so grateful!